Traditions
Sun Dance
The traditional Sun Dance was an opportunity for spiritual renewal within the community, as well as for encouraging unity and harmony among the people. Dancers, called "pledgers" would abstain from food or drink during the four-day dance. They would be lead by a spiritual leader or shaman who played the role of the intercessor. Older versions of the dance included some forms of self-mutilation, usually performed by the intercessor. While many Native American tribes practiced the Sun Dance - as many as 20 - the Lakota version is the most widely known and practiced.
Wakan Tanka
"Wakan Tanka" is the Lakota Name for the Native American Great Spirit, or Great Mystery. Traditionally, Wakan Tanka is not a single deity, but rather a collection of natural, spiritual forces. Native American religions are usually not distiguishable as either monotheistic (one God) or polytheistic (many gods) ; they usually fall closer to the realm of pantheism (god is all). Under Christian influence, some Lakota merged Wakan Tanka with God, although this is not the traditional interpretation.